Eat, Pray, Love

Eat, Pray, Love
Current mood: contemplative
Category: Writing and Poetry
monday, march 17, 2008


"Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it."
- Anais Nin

Started a new book last week - "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. Didn’t buy it on a whim, had it recommended twice over by recent divorcees (not a random descriptor - the bedrock of the book is that the author has gone through a recent divorce) The premise consists of the author’s trip through three iconic countries searching to rediscover three major pieces of herself. In Italy she "researches" pleasure - primarily through food (god-love-her...the descriptions induced me to bake two pans of bread pudding, one batch of chocolate chip cookies and two variations on a classic pannini...and that’s just this past weekend. I haven’t attempted pasta since starting the book; however, I just don’t think I could do it justice right now.). In India the author searches for religion, or, rather a better term here might be devotion. Regardless of the term she’s searching for something greater than herself. And in Indonesia she’s looking for, seemingly, a balance between the two.

I blog on this book for a couple of reasons.

Firstly - it’s hysterical...and poignant...and really excellent writing; which is something that I’m always on the lookout for. So if for no other reason than you might be looking for a good read, pick up this book. It’ll make you smile and cry. At the same time.

Secondly - it’s meaningful for my current situation. I find myself nodding empathatically at breakdown-in-the-public- bathroom-on-the-cold-tile-floor scenes. And I find myself scribbling furiously in the margins: underlining agreements, jotting down questions, dogearing pages that contain quotes that I want to go back and cross-reference. Gilbert does a fantastic job of not just telling a story, but teaching a lesson. She incorporates a life-time of random facts and relevant quotations into her skein.

Thirdly - it’s taking me longer to finish this book than any book in the past few years. And that, unlike the fact that I’m making notations in the margins, IS noteworthy. Usually I gobble a book up like most people do desserts... inhale it... devour it... The last three books I’ve read I’ve finished of a weekend, easily. But this book, I’m taking small sips of. It’s split neatly into three ’books’ and each ’book’ is split into smaller chapters - each almost a story in and of itself. And I find myself re-reading bits of it, and taking my time with it, allowing it to sink in. Which makes it noteworthy in my little world.


Currently listening:
Girls and Boys
By Ingrid Michaelson